Alive
by wolfypuppypiles
Summary: The Sheriff and Lydia wait anxiously outside the school in 4X7 Weaponized as Lydia's banshee feels Stiles' death coming. Sheriffs POV
1. Chapter 1

John stood outside Beacon Hills High School and gripped the walkie-talkie as it spewed static noise into the air. He had had to deal with a lot of weird crap in this town but now he almost wished for a rabid werewolf instead because this deadly unknown virus wasn't anything he knew how to handle.

As the Sheriff, he was concerned about every student and faculty member in the currently locked down school and everyone in his town, but as a parent he was worried about his kid. Stiles was in there with no way of contacting him if something went wrong and Lydia said someone was going to die.

"Are you sure you don't know who it is?" The teenager looked at him with a somewhat irritated expression but kept her annoyed huff to a minimum because she knew he was only worried.

"Yes I'm sure Sheriff. I'll know who it is closer to the time of their death but sometimes it's fuzzy I don't always get their name. Sometimes I just get the details of how they die. Or, like on my first few occasions, their dead bodies."

John didn't really know what to say to that. This girl was so young and she had already seen more dead bodies than some of his deputies had. But she was also a genius and braver than any kid her age ought to be.

"Well just stick close to me so we can sort this thing out. I still can't tell if it's got to do with any supernatural crap or if it's just normal crap." Lydia laughed a little and muttered that it was probably both.

John looked down at her just as she carefully wiped a tear from her make-uped eye, and remembered that her mother was in that building, as well as all her friends.

"They'll be okay kid, you'll see."

The Sheriff heard her sniff and her voice wavered. "Allison wasn't."

"Hey now-"

"I couldn't warn them in time, I couldn't save her and now they're in there and I can't help anyone. I don't even know how to use these stupid powers yet and… I just really don't want to have to go to another funeral."

The girl erupted into tears and the cop just couldn't see her so upset and not do anything about it. John carefully placed a hand on her shoulder only to be met with a face full of strawberry blond hair when she curled into his chest for a hug. Patting the girls back he hugged her back and waited for her breathing to calm before speaking.

"That wasn't on you. It wasn't your fault and if I had found out I was a banshee, and if I could do what you can, I probably wouldn't leave the house. But here you are going to school, getting perfect grades and supporting your friends all the while fighting all the supernatural bullshit this town throws at you. You are an amazing young lady but this isn't your responsibility and you're not alone in it this time. This time the adults are all in on it and you don't have to worry about dealing with it all on your own. They'll be okay."

Lydia sniffed in his arms and when he let go she carefully wiped her face.

"Thank you Sheriff." John smiled at her and went back to staring at the windows of the school, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son, and ignoring the static of his police radio.

…..

Lydia was starting to pace. She was wringing her hands and occasionally she would stop and squeeze her eyes shut like she was concentrating on hearing something before resuming her pacing. It was making the Sheriff nervous. Suddenly there was shouting from the front doors of the school and John could see Agent McCall hastily putting on a biohazard suit and going in, much to the distress of the CDC workers.

The Sheriff was about to go and ask them what was happening when suddenly Lydia stopped her even steps and instead looked at the school terrified.

"What is it Lydia?"

"Stiles." John thought his heart may have stopped. A banshee, one that predicted death, had just uttered his son's name like it was the last time she might ever say it.

"What about him Lydia? Are you sure? It can't be-"

The girl started hyperventilating and brought her hands up to her mouth like she wanted to catch the scream she felt coming.

"Oh God, Stiles." The Sheriff was breathing hard now too, watching as the girl got more and more distressed, tears falling down her cheeks now.

Suddenly there was a loud bang from the school, the unmistakable sound of gunfire which made The Sheriff instinctively step toward the sound, hand on his own weapon. But at the same time that gunshot rang out, maybe in fact a little bit before, Lydia jumped in fright and slapped her hands over her mouth before the scream could erupt from her.

And that was it. The Sheriff ran for the school doors ignoring all CDC personnel and burst through the doors uncaring of the risk of infection. He had to find his son. John sprinted through the school shouting his sons name and growing more panicked each time it went unanswered.

His son could be dead and he couldn't even find him. It was a nightmare. All around him he saw faces of the sick and those terrifyingly haunting masked people in those bulking suits.

Finally the Sheriff saw a glimpse of his son's shoe. He recognised them from this morning because Stiles had dropped the milk and complained about it getting on his sneakers. But the shoe was unmoving on the foot it was on.

Sprinting down that hallway Johns eyes were met with a sight no father wants to see, his son leaning against a wall, eyes closed and unmoving. Even worse, there was blood splattered all over the kids face, some of it flecked on his shirt as well. The Sheriff could hardly move until he saw his son's chest rise and fall. He was breathing. He was alive.

Blinking away tears, the father knelt beside the boy and shook his shoulder a little.

"Stiles? Wake up kid, come on, let me know you're okay." It took a little while but the teenager shifted and opened his eyelids to reveal his tired brown eyes. John wrapped his son up in a hug and squeezed him tight letting all the worry flow out of him at the feeling of his child in his arms.

Finally releasing him, The Sheriff lent back and took in the blood still on Stiles' face. Stiles blinked, realizing what he was looking at and quickly shaking his head.

"It's not mine, I'm okay Dad the bloods not mine." John wanted to know who's blood it was and was about to ask when the wall behind them suddenly shifted and slid open to reveal Scott, Malia and Kira. They looked half dead but they were okay, Scott dragging himself over to sit beside the father and son. John scooped Scott closer to them and wrapped his arms around both the boys.

"I'm so glad you're safe."

….

The Sheriff walked Stiles out of the school, Scott following behind, with one hand on his sons shoulder because after a day like this he wasn't letting him out of his sight easily. The kid was obviously exhausted but there was something else about the way his shoulders slumped and his eyes stayed fixed on the ground, that told the Sheriff that something was bothering him.

There were too many people scurrying about now to ask him about it so the father simply squeezed his sons shoulder. Stiles was wearing Johns Sheriff jacket, at his insistence, because he was shivering and he was paler than usual. John made a note to get him checked out before they went home.

The three made it outside and were immediately met with a scream.

"Stiles!"

John looked up to see Lydia sprinting towards them, her eyes wide and cheeks still wet with tears. Stiles had only looked up long enough to see who it was before she slammed into him, almost knocking him over with the force of her hug. Stiles looked surprised but quickly wrapped his arms around her, talking to her as she cried.

"Hey, it's okay. We're all okay."

The girl was holding on so tightly her words were muffled by Stiles' shoulder.

"I felt it. I felt your death coming and then I screamed and- Oh god, Stiles I thought you were dead."

The Sheriff watched as his son comforted the girl he had loved since he was a child. The way Lydia and Stiles moved together, it was natural, practiced. They obviously knew each other's touch well enough to comfort each other the way they were doing. Stiles had a hand running through the girls' hair, while the other held her to him, comforting her in such a gentle and intimate way.

Scott was watching with surprise but it seemed to be at the thought that Stiles had almost died. He was worried, John could tell as much from the way he set his jaw and the puppy eyes he currently had on.

The Sheriff wondered how many times these kids had done this. Watch one of their friends almost die and have to be okay the next day because no one could know about the horrors this town hid.

Lydia finally let go long enough to look at Stiles and trail a finger across his cheek, the blood smearing at her touch.

"It's not yours?"

Stiles swallowed and shook his head. He looked haunted by whatever had happened and John knew he wouldn't be letting this go. Lydia hugged Stiles again as she finally calmed down, satisfied that the boy was okay.

The Banshee stepped back again, taking a deep breath and half-heartedly frowning at the two boys in front of her.

"I'm gone for one day and you all almost die. Typical."

Scott laughed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank god we have you then."

Stiles allowed a small smile to light his face as he watched Lydia. John watched his son and smiled too, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"Let's get you kids home so you can do this all again next week."


	2. Chapter 2

John looks at his son warily. He had been silent since they left the school and though they had tried to get the blood off his face there were still traces of pink smeared across his cheekbones. He knew Stiles wouldn't forget tonight easily and he felt tired just thinking of the sleepless nights full of nightmares to come.

The Sheriff had his arm around his kid as he led the three teenagers to the cruiser, Lydia holding Stiles' hand and Scott waking beside her. He felt like he was leading a trail of ducklings. Stiles was staring in front of him as they walked but didn't seem to be seeing anything. John could see the thoughts whirling around behind his sons eyes and didn't like the darkness and fear in them.

They made it to the car and Scott held the door open for Lydia to get in before climbing in himself. Lydia had told her mother she needed to stay with Stiles and John had promised to get her home safe before dark. Before Stiles could get in the car John pulled him a little ways away and leant down so he could look in his eyes.

"You sure you're okay? Something bad happened in there I can tell and we're gonna talk about it but until then….. is there anything you need?"

Stiles looked at his father and felt tears come to his eyes. His lip wobbled and he trapped it between his teeth.

"You'd be okay if I died right? You'd be able to keep going? You'd have Melissa and Scott and the deputies and-"

John stopped his son's rambling with a hug and his boy hugged him back fiercely, arms gripping tight with his face pressed against him.

"I wouldn't be okay at all if you died Stiles. It would break my heart and I don't think I could survive losing you. But I'd carry on, I'd have to. Just make sure I don't have to okay? You stay safe. As much as you can."

Stiles made a noise between a sob and a laugh and John held his tighter.

"In this town I don't know how that's possible. But I'll try."

"Good. That's all I ask."

The Sheriff kissed his sons hair before they parted and they got Stiles into the car beside Lydia and Scott.

John concentrated on the road ahead of him but could hear Scott talking to his mother on the phone in the backseat.

"Yeah mom we're all fine now I promise. We got the mushrooms…Yeah tell Derek I said thank you…..Yeah I'm with the Sheriff and Stiles and Lydia now."

John could see Scott glance over at Stiles but the teenager was staring out the window, hand still in Lydia's grasp.

"We just wanted to get Stiles checked out before he goes home. Lydia said she felt him die and when we found him he had blood splattered all over his face….. No it wasn't his and he said he was fine but he had the sickness too and The Sheriff just wants to check. I do too he's kind of acting weird….. Thanks Mum you're the best, see you soon… I love you too."

They parked outside of the McCall house ten minutes later and John got out to open the kids' doors to see a very confused Stiles.

"What are we doing at Scott's place?"

John tugged his kid out of the car and waited till Lydia had gotten out too before closing the door.

"Melissa's just gonna check you over to make sure everything's okay."

Stiles immediately started backing away from his dad, pulling his arm out of his hold, and shaking his head.

"No Dad I'm fine, I just wanna go home and sleep."

"Stiles this isn't up for discussion, you were infected with the sickness and had whatever else happen to you. Just let her check you over and you can sleep."

Lydia took Stiles hand and started pulling him towards the open door of the house where Melissa and Scott were hugging. That seemed to be all the further encouragement he needed because Stiles began reluctantly following her, groaning like he was only going because Lydia was making him.

John followed them, smiling at how the two acted together. Melissa let go of her son to grip her other son in a hug and kissing his cheek before hugging Lydia as well. She ushered them all inside and ordered the kids to sit on the couch while she brought them tea.

John at and watched the three teenagers sit. Scott was looking sick still but mostly worried and kept glancing at Stiles while Lydia looked jumpy and Stiles looked exhausted.

Melissa came back with hot tea for the three kids and a blanket or two even as Scott protested.

"Scott you look terrible and you almost died. You are going to bed straight after this."

Scott took his tea and nodded as the woman moved on to Stiles.

"Scott told me you were infected and then something else happened. He said there was a gunshot."

The nurse was being gentle but Stiles still looked uncomfortable at the mention of the gunshot. Everyone turned to Stiles as they waited to hear what happened.

"I… the teacher that was there at the start of the test…..he wasn't a teacher. He called himself The Chemist. He put the infection in the ink pad to kill the wolves. He's…..he was an assassin."

John didn't miss the 'was'. He inched forward on his seat and saw Lydia grip her mug tighter as she whispered.

"He died. I thought it was you Stiles..It was almost you but he died instead."

Stiles nodded and looked like he was about to throw up but didn't say anything. Scott spoke up from his end of the couch.

"Please just tell us what happened."

Stiles' hands shook and John watched as the kid squeezed them into fists.

"He wanted to know where you guys were. He needed visual confirmation and he knew I had found out it was him who'd done it. He…he had a gun. He said if I didn't tell him where you guys were…..he had it pressed against my forehead." His voice shook and Melissa had her hands over her mouth in shock. Stiles now turned to Scott, teary eyed.

"You know I'd never give you guys up so I said no."

Scott looked horrified. "An assassin had a gun to your head and you said no? Why didn't you just tell him? We could have fought him off!"

Stiles shook his head desperately.

"You were dying! You were blind Scott, I wouldn't have told him, he would have killed you!"

He shook his head again and his voice was quiet once again.

"He gave me three seconds to tell him and he started counting….So I closed my eyes and waited."

Lydia almost dropped her tea and Melissa shot a hand out to The Sheriffs arm as his jaw dropped in shock.

"Oh God Stiles." Scott had tears down his cheeks as did Lydia and Melissa. John was stunned. On the one hand he could not be more proud of his son, so brave and loyal and unfailing as a friend. But on the other hand he could not believe that Stiles had been ready to die for his friends. His son had almost been killed today, and he hadn't been there to protect him. He'd almost lost him.

"Stiles." Lydia's voice came out as a whine and she put her tea down to lean against Stiles' arm, her head pressed to his shoulder. Stiles held her hand as he continued.

"I waited and he got to one.. I could hardly breathe and I heard the click when he went to pull the trigger. And then there was a bang, a gunshot, and his blood splattered all over my face. It got in my mouth. Agent McCall shot him in the head."

Melissa's mouth flew open to match The Sheriffs.

"Raf?"

"My dad? He killed him?"

Stiles nodded.

"He saved my life. Then he told me about the mushrooms to save you guys."

Scott looked confused, like the idea of his father doing anything helpful or heroic was alien. Which it kind of was.

"I can't believe…..As long as you're okay now…. You saved our lives Stiles. Thank you."

Stiles looked at his best friend and nodded. Melissa wiping her cheeks before setting to work.

"Well let's get you checked out then shall we?"

Melissa knelt in front of Stiles and thoroughly checked him over, monitoring his heart-rate, blood pressure, pupil reaction and temperature. She looked for anymore symptoms of the sickness but only found a slight fever.

She checked Scott over as well even though he looked better already. The Sheriff just watched his son, the pink streaks of another man's blood on his cheeks and the look that some of his deputies had on a particular hard case, and wished he could have his baby boy back again.

When Stiles was a kid he had so much energy he was like a sun, he would affect others too with his light, it was contagious. He was so smart and eager, he had always been a little cheeky and gotten himself into any trouble he could find but he was a good kid. Still is. But now his light was dimmed. He was always worrying about things, constantly alert to danger and any potential threats. Stiles was willing to die for his friends today, and he almost did. John just wished his child didn't have to hold the world on his shoulders like it was his to bear alone.

Melissa deemed everything okay and sent John a look which he nodded to. After what they just heard it was a good idea to let them all sleep together tonight. Stiles looked too tired to go home anyway and Lydia was holding onto him so tight she didn't look like she was ever going to let go.

John kissed his son on the forehead and pulled the kids together for a big group hug with Melissa on the other side to get them all in.

"You kids go through hell every day and I love you all so much." Melissa added a "Me too." Before they were released. Melissa gave each of them a kiss on the forehead, because she couldn't help it, before sending them up to bed. Lydia said she'd call her mother and tell her the plane for the night.

Once the kids disappeared upstairs John turned to the nurse.

"Is he really okay? He was so out of it on the way here and when I found him at the school he was practically unconscious."

Melissa nodded and sat heavily on the couch, pulling the blanket onto her lap.

"Yeah he'll be okay. He has a slight fever but that's from the virus and should be gone by morning. He's just tired, and after what he told us I can understand why. You have an amazing boy there John."

The Sheriff smiled and sat on the couch beside her, accepting his half of the blanket when she shared it.

"I was just about to say the same thing." Melissa returned his smile and they looked at each other like that for a few seconds before she took his hand in hers, weaving their fingers together. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"What are we going to do with these kids?"

John settled against her warmth easily and squeezed her hand.

"I don't know about you but I think they deserve pizza for dinner or maybe bacon for breakfast."

The nurse agreed, humming against his shoulder as she closed her eyes.

"Good idea. Of course you'll have wheat toast and whatever the healthy option for pizza is."

John laughed, groaning.

"Aww Melissa he's got you in on it too? That damn kid."


End file.
